Simon Love: Man died on High Street, Blackwood

The man was stopped by police on High Street, Blackwood

A man was heard wailing "like he couldn't breathe" after being handcuffed by police, an inquest heard.

Simon Love, 33, died on High Street, Blackwood, after being stopped by officers, jurors in Newport were told.

Members of the public flagged down police after Mr Love was seen in a "zombie-like state" and acting in a "concerning manner" in June 2018.

A post-mortem examination found he died of the "toxic effects" of drugs including cocaine.

CCTV footage was shown of Mr Love walking down High Street, and then being held by a police officer, before falling.

One witness described him as "somewhat intoxicated" and "gurning".

She said she later saw him on the floor with his hands handcuffed behind his back "wailing like he couldn't breathe".

The inquest in Newport is being heard in front of a jury

"The police officer had his knee placed on the back of Simon's back, and his other leg was on the floor," she added.

She said: "I didn't like what I saw so I just walked away".

Mr Love had taken cocaine in the past and had a history of mental health problems and substance misuse, jurors heard.

The counsel for Gwent Police said the witness did not mention Mr Love was "wailing like he couldn't breathe" when she gave a statement to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in 2018.

'Staggered and stumbled'

In a statement read to the court Adrian Turner, an estate agent who works on High Street, said Simon Love appeared "not in this world and was zombie-like".

He said he believed Mr Love could not have been let go by the police, and was "dangerous".

Mr Turner added: "The officers acted exactly as I would have expected in such circumstances."

Luke Phillips, who owned a tile shop on High Street, said Mr Love "staggered and stumbled" down the street.

He said the police officer "was over the top of him" and was "trying to hold him on the ground".

The inquest heard Mr Love was initially handcuffed, but his "condition deteriorated" and the handcuffs were removed.

In his statement in 2018, Mr Phillips said: "It didn't look like the police officer was using excessive force."

'Bulging' eyes

Police officer Joseph Powell told the inquest that handcuffing Mr Love was the only way of "restraining him".

He said Mr Love's eyes were "bulging," and he detained him because he was "concerned he was going to step into the road" and cause an accident.

PC Powell said he was joined by two firearms officers after he called for backup, and that one officer suggested they handcuff Mr Love.

Mr Love was put into the recovery position, he said, and was treated with oxygen.

PC Powell told the inquest he did not recall Mr Love "ranting" or "wailing," adding that he was "never" on his stomach and that he and his colleagues were "absolutely not" kneeling on Mr Love's back.

The inquest was told that four paramedics and a doctor were at the scene when Mr Love was "breathing with difficulty" and carried out CPR for 20 minutes, but Mr Love died at the scene.

Senior coroner for Gwent, Caroline Saunders said there may have been a period of time when Mr Love was struggling to breath while handcuffed.

Mr Powell said that if they had taken the handcuffs off, he believed they would not have been able to administer oxygen.

"It didn't occur to me at the time that he was having a fit or a seizure", he added.

The inquest continues.